


The Slytherin Champion

by Magarax



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-26 15:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12061407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magarax/pseuds/Magarax
Summary: Cassius Warrington is chosen as one of the Hogwarts champions in the first year with four wizards in the tournament. The slytherin champion will face many difficults, beyond the trials itselfs, to achieve the greatest of all glories.





	The Slytherin Champion

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there!
> 
> I started to write this fic based on a post who asked what would change in the Harry Potter's saga if a slytherin champion would be chosen instead a hufflepuffle champion.
> 
> I really hope you enjoy this as such I do and forgive for my bad english 

— Cassius Warrington! – Dumbledore read the name of the sixth-year student of Slytherin on the piece of scorched paper that had just come out of the Goblet.

Cassius felt astonished. He had put his name on the Goblet with two days left for the selection to close and hearing so much rumors about how much Cedrigo Diggory was the most qualified student to be the Hogwarts champion in the Triwizard Tournament had discouraged him. But even bewildered, his Slytherin colleagues soon made him come back to reality, screaming and jumping, releasing little green and silver sparks from the wands. It was hard to see such a genuine expression of happiness coming from a house so famous for its indifference.

Then he stood up and realized that this happiness only came from the Slytherin students. Hums and murmurs came from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff, and from the little he could understand was summed up in how contradictory a Slytherin champion was. That didn't bother Cassius at all. He was already accustomed to this kind of treatment and just kept walking towards to the Professors' table.

As he always sat near the exit of the Great Hall, it took him some time to reach the another end and, in the middle of the way, he could see the expression of disgust that Harry Potter carried on his face. "It doesn't always come down to you, Potter", thought Cassius, smiling as he looked ahead. Dumbledore greeted him with the old charismatic smile and half-closed eyes behind his half-moon spectacles and directed him to enter the door on the right and wait with the other champions until the ceremony was over, so they could receive the first instructions of the Tournament.

Before walking toward the door, he took one last look at where the Slytherin students crowded, still vibrating with the Goblet's choice, and saw Marcus Flint looking at him with a yellowish, half-crooked smile, perhaps a little embarrassed by the statement made by Lee Jordan about Cassius, where Flint would only have chosen him to be the new top scorer in Adrian's place because he was taller and more muscular.

The door opened as he approached, revealing a dimly lit corridor by the flickering flames of the torches that were attached to the walls, which led to a room much like a living room of someone who really likes to read. As he entered the room, he found several bookshelves, most of them covered with cobwebs that gave the appearance of abandonment to the place, even though the floor proved otherwise, being exceptionally clean. In the center, a brown brick fireplace crackled quietly, emanating warmth to the rest of the room. The protection screen was a show of its own: the pattern of the wires alternated as the intensity of the conversation changed, creating mosaics during contemplative conversation or straightforward and frenetic forms during a heated discussion. At the moment, as there was no talk to react, the screen played with wavy forms mixed with the swing of the fire.

Viktor Krum stood behind a red velvet armchair, watching the rain fall solemnly on that first night of autumn. Fleur Delacour was sit on an armchair on the other side of the room, reading a small diary while mumbling a song that, as far as Cassius could identify, was being sung in french. As he tried to pay more attention to music, Cassius's vision began to blur and he felt the scent of a Veela more intensely. Realizing that he was walking slowly toward her, he remembered Flint's alert about the fact that Fleur was half Veela, when the girls of the Beauxbatons arrived at school, doing various acrobatics in the carriage so that all the students at Hogwarts could appreciate this beautiful scene. He ground his foot and shook his head until the scent dissipated in his nostrils. Apparently, Fleur had realized that he fallen into her spell and smiled with the corner of her mouth, still looking at the diary.

Cassius then decided to stand by the fireplace and watch the continuous movement of the silver screen. The brief moment of hypnosis made him not notice the growing noise coming from the Great Hall, and then he heard Dumbledore's voice echo through the room, calling none other than _Harry Potter_. The champions of the three schools looked at each other in confusion and stared down the hallway anxiously to find out what all the confusion was about.

Dumbledore called the name of Harry Potter one more time, and although it didn't give to hear well, it was possible to notice some impatience and urgency in his voice. Cassius now stared at the embers without blinking, concentrating as hard as he could to make out the noises coming from the Great Hall. A moment later, the door creaking soon announced that someone was about to reach the end of the hall. Not only did the champions turn around to see what was coming, but also all the faces in the paintings who, until then, were having a somewhat apathetic talk about the champions of other years and comparing them with the current ones.

Harry Potter emerged from the shimmering shadows, shoulders half bent, looking disoriented and a little irritated. Fleur was the first to break the silence and, throwing back her silver hair, began to question the Gryffindor student.

— What is it? – she said. — Do zey want us back in ze Hall?

Despite the coherent question, Cassius knew that Harry's presence in the room wasn't just to give a message. Something was wrong and the glimpse of having a second Hogwarts champion crossed his mind, then being turned away for thinking it would make no sense at all. Many questions began to form, and before he could gather the words to ask Harry a question, his line of reasoning was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps coming from the beginning of the corridor and then Ludo Bagman was revealed, coming to Harry and taking him by his arm to the center of the room.

— Extraordinary! - he muttered, squeezing Harry’s arm. — Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen . . . lady, may I introduce, incredible though it may seem, the _fourth_ Triwizard champion?”

The champions were stunned. They knew they couldn't expect anything in that tournament to be predictable, but that was too much. While Victor Krum was examining Harry with a sour look and Fleur questioning Bagman about the legality of that, Cassius tried to assimilate that crazy idea about a fourth champion, who had discarded almost immediately. And on top of that, it _had to be_ Harry Potter. He clenched his fists and waited until that confusion had subsided.

More footsteps could be heard, and this time a large group of people entered: Professor Dumbledore, closely followed by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Fleur soon settled for Madame Maxime, questioning about Harry's participation in the tournament.

— What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr? - she said imperiously.

— I’d rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore. - said Professor Karkaroff. — _Two_ Hogwarts champions? I don’t remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions or have I not read the rules carefully enough?

— It’s no one’s fault but Potter’s, Karkaroff. - said Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice. — Don’t go blaming Dumbledore for Potter’s determination to break rules. Apparently he can't follow the example of students much more dedicated to the school rules _like_ Cassius, for example.

The Slytherin student straightened in his seat, trying to look a little more serious than he was. He liked Professor Snape, but he couldn't remember if he'd ever received something like a compliment coming from him.

— Thank you, Severus - said Dumbledore firmly. Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles. — Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry? - he asked calmly.

— No. - said Harry. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely.

— Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you? - said Professor Dumbledore.

— _No. -_  said Harry vehemently.

At that moment, a heated discussion began to form within the room. Madame Maxime and Karkaroff questioned the validity of that decision without stopping, causing Professor McGonagall to intervene in defense of Dumbledore. Although Cassius didn't understand very well how the magic contracts pertaining the Goblet worked, he was reluctant for Harry's participation in the tournament, but he couldn't find a moment to enter into the discussion.

Karkaroff then turned to Mr. Crouch and Bagman in an attempt to persuade them to belive that the situation was irregular and couldn't be accepted. However, when Crouch spoke, with an almost morbid tone of so focused, the discussion began to end. The regulation was quite clear. Any name that came out of the Goblet of Fire _would be valid_ to participate in the tournament. Bagman nodded and the matter was over.

Cassius now stared at Harry with anger in his eyes. He never had any personal quarrels with him, but belonging to Salazar's house cause the repudiation of any student from Gryffindor be almost natural. Maybe even supernatural, like an energy that passes through the students of the houses, perpetuating that rivalry through the ages. Harry returned his gaze and stood motionless, trying not to appear surprised and nervous at the recent news that he was a champion.

Karkaroff was still growling as he was interrupted by a hoarse, tired voice coming from the hallway. Moody had just entered the room, explaining how convenient it was for Harry to participate in the tournament, almost suggesting that someone would have intentions to kill him during the trials. Dumbledore then interrupted him gently, but firmly, as he usually did.

— I will speak only once and I hope it will be clear to all. How this situation arose, we do not know. — said Dumbledore. — “It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cassius and Harry, maybe by the irony of destiny, have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do...

— Well, shall we crack on, then? — said Bagman, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. — Got to give our champions their instructions, haven’t we? Barty, want to do the honors?

Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie. There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin. It was the first time Cassius had seen him so closely, but he was frightened by the state he was in. "Another politician decrepit in his miserable end", thought Cassius.

— The first task is designed to test your daring, - he told Harry, Cassius, Fleur, and Viktor.  — so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard... very important...

_"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges. The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."_

Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore.

— I think that’s all, is it, Albus?

— I think so. - said Dumbledore, who was looking at Mr. Crouch with mild concern.

Dumbledore then invited Mr. Crouch to spend the night at Hogwarts, but he refused, claiming that he had urgent and pending tasks waiting for him back at the Ministry. Madame Maxime escorted Fleur quickly out of the room, talking very quickly in french. Karkaroff signaled to Krum, and they went out in silence.

— Harry, Cassius, I suggest you go up to bed. — said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them. — I am sure Gryffindor and Slytherin are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise.

Cassius looked at Harry, who nodded, and together they left the room. The Great Hall was now deserted. The tables were still untidy, and especially the Slytherin' one, which contained remnants of green and silver confetti around it. The candles were already small, giving the serrated smiles of the pumpkins a mysterious, flickering air.

— So, — dsaid Cassius with a disdainful smile. — I don't know how you did it, Potter, but don't expect easy tasks on your side because of your age — Cassius had a sturdy body, but his intimidation didn't quite match the tone he wanted.

— I didn't put my name there, Cassius. I'm not looking for more attention than I already receive. — said Harry tiredly. His head was in total mess with all those recent events.

— You talk like it's a bad thing, Potter. The wizard who survived. You can expect something worse than a basilisk this time. See you around.

Cassius didn't wait for an answer from Harry. He had to hurry back to the common room and start thinking about how he could prepare for that kind of competition. It was his only chance to reach the spotlight he deserved, and he was not going to lose it for nothing in the world.

"The greatest of all glories", he whispered quietly to himself as he entered the Slytherin common room, being greeted by the biggest party he had ever seen there.


End file.
